Happy New Year OKPs!

How'd y'all ring in the New Year?

Who got resolutions?

Here's hoping that after 3 long years, 2023 will be a good one!

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Get Out The Room!
http://getouttheroom.podomatic.com
@fakewilliamkatt

"You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do!" - Olin Miller

My receptionist was cut Friday. 3 more people were let go today. Not sure which is worse, losing your job just before or right after the new year. There's an all hands meeting tomorrow, which isn't going to be good news for the rest of us. I'm sure pay cuts are next, but no clue how long.

Two of the owners have a meeting scheduled separately with me. I was told I didn't need to bring my playbook, but exactly what happens next won't be known for another 18 hours or so. I'm sure I"ll have a horrible night's sleep...

<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up...
__________________________

Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect.
Game: Like Gladys Knight.
Jay: Aretha Franklin.
Game: Word, I like her too.
Jay: Nigga...

good luck

.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

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The Brand Pod
https://www.youtube.com/@themonarchbrand
https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2023071.rss

The Life Pod
https://www.youtube.com/@thewaterpodcast
https://redcircle.com/shows/the-water-podcast

these layoffs are foul. a couple of my cousins have been let go or been near it.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

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Get Out The Room!
http://getouttheroom.podomatic.com
@fakewilliamkatt

"You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do!" - Olin Miller

A lot of new orders so that's good.

This break did feel like an actual break. I ended up being off since Thursday. My sleep schedule was very off. Wasn't too bad to wake up today though.

I don't really do resolutions. If I want to change something I just do it when I decide to. Maybe one resolution is to get as much debt paid off once my bonus hits lol Really need to get back on track.

On NYE, my girl and I got a room in midtown (Atlanta) and made dinner reservations. We didn't know it till we got there, but the hotel actually had a free party in the lobby with free liquor, which bailed us out cause we didn't really have anything planned after. They also had games in the lobby, so we just vibed out and played Jenga, Connect 4, etc.

Only tangible resolutions are a job promotion and a (BJJ) belt promotion. Other than that, I am pretty good with the systems I've created in my life and trust whatever comes of the work I'm already putting in. Would also add that I want to simplify my life. I've basically been in grind mode out of necessity since I graduated in college in 2009, so working towards eliminating any side projects etc. that I no longer feel compelled to keep up.

_____________________________________

The Brand Pod
https://www.youtube.com/@themonarchbrand
https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2023071.rss

The Life Pod
https://www.youtube.com/@thewaterpodcast
https://redcircle.com/shows/the-water-podcast

we didn't have plans, but out lack of plans was ruined. wife's grandma's house had a broken pipe. so we were there trying to figure out where the shut off valve was on this ancient home.

the house is vacant and my wife is somewhat taking care of it.

this is my first day back to work since before xmas. it's actually fine for the most part. I'm on call this week, so my sleep won't be good.

have no idea how I did on my test. they definitely asked some stuff I wasn't familiar with. A number of the questions will be tossed out as experimental.

the sucky part is waiting. have to wait til May to see if I passed. I thought it was March, which wasn't so bad in my head. May seems like forever from now.

I'm taking a step back from learning. Last year, I was doing too much. so if it's not directly for the job, I ain't studying it.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

4 of our staff got the axe, some NYE, some after NYD. Everyone that's left is being asked to work a 4 day week, which amounts to a 20% cut in pay for the first quarter, for now. If the market doesn't quite rebound enough, that could extend.

My situation is a bit more complicated. I've been asked to move over to the joint venture project they set up with one of the local realtors (and, honestly, one reason we may be in the mess we're currently in). On the plus side, I don't have to take the 4 day week and lose the 20% pay. On the bad side, there's no insurance at this joint venture, so my options are COBRA or hop on my wife's policy, which still is a hit for the family (my job's insurance is really good, because the partner's kids needed it, so everybody got it). The work I will have to do won't be great, but work is work. Assuming things get back to semi-normal in Q2, I don't know what happens, because there will be projects I'm on and have been the lead for, and clients that prefer to work with me, but since I'm not with the main company directly I can't legally work with. Admittedly, that's a problem we have to deal with when we get to it, and that transition will be ugly, but it just adds to the great unknown.

Nobody at the office is happy, and I'm sure very little work is being done. Those of us still here know what it is, have seen the market swing in the last 15-20 years, but haven't quite seen it like this. The partners will have to let their employees say how they feel, because we are all scared, all blame a number of factors, but all know what the business is, what the game is, what the reality is, and know what little choice we have.

Welcome to 2023...

<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up...
__________________________

Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect.
Game: Like Gladys Knight.
Jay: Aretha Franklin.
Game: Word, I like her too.
Jay: Nigga...

I hate how our insurance is tied to our companies. makes no sense to me for something that we all need.

do you plan on staying with them or looking elsewhere?

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

As a whole, the real estate industry sucks on all corners. There's not really a lateral move to make that's worth the risk. The real estate title industry is pretty incestuous, so I know of, or worked with, a lot of people in the industry in the area, and everyone is going through the same kind of thing. At least if I stay, I've got some seniority, whether that makes a difference. The DC area is usually quicker to rebound than other places, and we survived the crash of 2008, so there's some sliver of hope people are clinging to, but it's not much, and doesn't feel good at all.

Plus, the wife and I have been in the process of modifying our loan for over a year (a whole other headache of a story) so making any major moves wouldn't be ideal. Supposedly we're in the final stretch, but until I put pen to paper and make any new payments, I'm still on high alert.

<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up...
__________________________

Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect.
Game: Like Gladys Knight.
Jay: Aretha Franklin.
Game: Word, I like her too.
Jay: Nigga...

20 years employees are leaving my company, while others are getting push out. it's definitely a mess out here.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

I ended up choosing one for Manual QA testing. My job is going more call-center-y, after I just got off the Service Desk, so that's my cue to exit.

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Twitter & IG: @rulerofmyself
SC: rulerofmyself17

Yes! She's on the drugs. (c) BoHagon